The objective of this application is to request funds to support the travel and hotel expenses of approximately the top 54 percent of predoctoral students and postdoctoral fellows to attend the 2005 Teratology Society Annual Meeting in St. Pete Beach, Florida. This meeting will take place on June 25 - 30, 2005 at the TradeWinds Island Grand Resort. It will consist of a two-day education course on stem cells, followed by a five-day conference that includes various symposia, workshops, platform, and poster sessions. The encouragement and financial assistance of trainees to attend the Teratology Society Meeting is vital for the infusion of enthusiasm and new ideas into scientific discussions. In addition, these individuals will benefit greatly from interaction with leading scientists in birth defects research in a setting that encourages open exchange of ideas and experimental findings. Symposium topics for the main conference include: cognition testing, pregnancy registries updates and future directions, regulatory testing for developmental and reproductive toxicology, genetics of common birth defects, preclinical data and their value to the clinician, manipulating gametes and early embryos, as well as bioinformatics. Invited speakers are selected on their distinction and the importance and relevance of their work to current research in developmental biology and birth defects/developmental disabilities. Many events at the Teratology Society Meeting focus on student-fellow participation. Presentations by these trainees will be devoted entirely to a plenary session, and all trainees, including awardees, will be honored at a banquet during the conference. In addition, a student reception organized by the Student Affairs Committee encourages exchange of ideas and networking among trainee participants. Funds to help support and encourage student-fellow attendance at the Teratology Society 2005 Annual Meeting will enhance the quality of the meeting and the experience of the student and postdoctoral fellow attendees.